Friday, March 30, 2012

Tonight finds us dining with The Hamiltons. We love dining with food loving, like minded folk, and The Hamiltons are one such couple.

The four of us have been looking forward to this dinner at Matt Moran's newbie Chiswick for a while now, and from the moment we step into Chiswick Gardens, we know we are not going to be disappointed.

The beautifully manicured lawns give way to a large, contemporary space which is already starting to fill quickly, when we arrive at 7pm

We kick things off with a pitcher of Pimms #1, Limoncello, lemon verbena, fresh mint & ginger ale. Very light and refreshing it goes down a treat.

The Chiswick menu is designed for sharing & as such we decide to order five share plates to begin with.

Rosemary flat bread is absolutely delicious. The bread is specatularly light with just the right balance of rosemary, salt & a little olive oil.

Vitello Tonnato is a favourite dish of mine, so Veal Slider “vitello tonnato” is a no brainer for me and it is simply stunning. A thick, juicy, perfectly cooked veal patty topped with slow roasted tomatoes.The real surprise is how much of that 'vitello tonnato' tuna (anchovy?) mayonaise flavour comes through. We all love this.

Sliced kingfish, breakfast radish, lemon aioli, parsley is also quite impressive. The kingfish is fresh & positively melts in the mouth, the slight crunch of the vegetables against the delicate fish is very pleasing indeed & the lemon aioli adds a lovely citrus hit.

I find the Steak Tartare at Chiswick to be one of the better ones I have tried. The beef, like the kingfish before it, is so tender. The seasoning is spot on & the rich egg yolk is silky and binds everything together beautifully.

The Crisp butter milk chicken, cabbage, harissa mayonnaise really is as delicious as it sounds. The butter milk batter is crispy, crunchy, slightly spiced and fantastic. The chicken within is still so unbelievably moist and tender. The harissa has a bit of a kick to it, and it really complements the chicken.

For mains we all decide on Char grilled Moran family grass fed beef, fresh horseradish. This is a very generous slab of meat. It is cooked perfectly medium rare and has that great flavour that you only seem to get from grass fed beef. The horseradish has some real heat to it which I love. No complaints here.. (well Buggles did have a seam of sinewy toughness in her steak... but generally no complaints)!

The accompanying hand cut chips, thyme, black garlic aioli are very good. The black garlic aioli is a revelation, it is so good I also dip my steak into it.

Salad of baby cos, crushed hazelnuts, pomegranate is fresh, crisp and most welcome amongst all the decadence that has gone before it.

What meal is complete without dessert? None I say.

Caramelia éclair, almonds, sugar plums is on the agenda for Mr Hamilton and Buggles. It is a rather unusual looking eclair when it arrives and almost resembles a sausage roll! The consensus seems to be that the flavour of the caramel is subtle, and the balance between pastry and filling is a bit out, with there being perhaps a touch too much pastry. The sugar plums are a fresh accompaniment though.

Mrs Hamilton decides that the white chocolate pannacotta with crushed berries and jelly is for her and she is not disappointed. It is creamy, but light, and the berries and jelly cut through it nicely. Buggles thinks the pannacotta is perhaps a bit too set - but who's complaining?

The Baked meringue, yuzu, granny smith apples is wondrous. Breaking open the not-too-sweet merigue reveals the tart, citrusy yuzu 'curd'. The apple sorbet that tops the meringue is light and refreshing, the perfect foil to the curd.

The meal ends with some tiny squares of lush, dark chocolate.

The service at Chiswick is efficient & friendly & they are coping really well with the demand for tables. By the time we leave the place is packed.

We would love to return here for a leisurely lunch with the entire family; it is that kind of place.

About Us & What We Do

We love food. We don't care if it costs a little or a lot... as long as it is good. We would prefer to pay $50 for a great steak, than $5 for a mediocre one. That's just the way we roll. That said if we can get a great steak for $5 all the better!
We write about food as a labour of love; we enjoy eating & sharing our experiences and hope that our blog inspires others to try out some places they may not have otherwise.